All The Right Moves
by Aurelia Artemee
Summary: It all started with the wall. The famous stone wall. No one knows how it came to be. It separates the kingdom into two halves. On one side, resides the rich. The beautiful. The perfect. What is on the other side however, is a mystery. But the king of the seemingly perfect society is hiding a secret… And his daughter Momo Hinamori will be caught in the middle of it. HitsuHina AU.
1. The Wall

**Author's Note:** I'M BAAAAACK! It's been awhile since I've written anything, hasn't it? XD (cough, years, cough) Well then, here's a new one for all of you! Hopefully I've improved somewhat, and hopefully you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed (finally) writing it! :) (the idea has been floating around in plot bunny world for a while now)

This one goes to Levs (**ADoorABell**). I swear she's a life saver, and she's stuck with me through everything (Not to mention put up with me XD). From betaing this and having to put up with my horrible tenses, to ranting about everything and anything at 4am, to disappearances, to my lateness in handing in her chapters... the list goes on and on...

Happy reading! :)

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**All The Right Moves** by Aurelia Artemee

Chapter 1: _The Wall_

They say that it's the journey, not the destination that makes everything worth while in the end. That we shouldn't set our sights on the final solution, but the work we do to get there. But what happens when the solution is the difference between life and death for hundreds of people? What then?

In a distant far away kingdom, there stands a massive stone wall covered in sprawling vines. No one can recall how this wall came to be. It separates the kingdom in half. One side of the wall is inhabited by the rich. The beautiful. The perfect.

The Society.

The other side of the wall, however… That is questionable. It all depends on who you ask. Some say the other side is a barren wasteland. Some say it's inhabited by ghosts. Some disagree, saying that flesh eating monsters gather there to eat. Others say it's where the most ruthless criminals escape to when they refuse to face judgment and death.

It is a contradictory subject, and many argue over the truth. However, only one statement is spoken unanimously. No one would dare cross the wall. And no one has ever crossed the wall.

That is, until now.

**…:::…**

The violins play a cheerful, smooth melody. The entire ballroom is decorated in splendor; adorned with precious metals and luxurious fabrics. The entire scene is lit by candlelight, giving off a mystical aura. Couples crowd the marble dance floor, spinning and twirling delicately in rhythm to the song.

Those who choose not to dance sit at tables. They socialize and chat animatedly with other high ranking guests. The same sight you see every year. However that takes nothing away from the majesty of it all.

Momo follows Izuru's lead, hands on his shoulders. She smiles, makes light conversation, says what a princess is supposed to, is the epitome of polite and kind. Exactly what her father made her to be.

"You don't have to be like that with me." Izuru whispers, commenting on her mask-like behavior. "I know these gatherings bore you."

_Ah. So he noticed._

Momo laughs cheerfully as if he had said something funny. Izuru is her childhood friend; he knows her too well. "Now if only my father knew that."

The final note of the song resounds, and removing her hands from his shoulders Momo curtsies with the rest of the ladies on the dance floor. She embraces Izuru as her way of thanks, then steps back. "It's about time I returned to the table."

He inclines his head and gives her a small smile. "Go ahead. I'll see you later." Smiling back at him, she turns and walks away.

In her childhood, she loved balls and dances. Momo used to fantasize about being carried away by a handsome prince, used to dream about living in large castles, used to believe in happily ever after. But now, at 17, it was getting old.

It dawned on her years before what being the daughter of the king really meant. It meant being a pawn. It meant being another piece in his chess game. Momo just had to look right, and act the part. Sometimes, she wondered whether her father loved her at all.

After making her way up the stairs, Momo heads towards the balcony where the royal family and their honored guests are seated. She is about to make her approach when she sees the King speaking with a stranger. Momo has never seen him before.

_Uh oh…_

The King has that look on his face. It means he is making an important deal.

_Not good._

Momo begins to cautiously back away, but it is too late… Her father has caught sight of her. He smiles, and makes a gentle 'come here' motion with his right hand.

Momo freezes. She has no idea what is in store for her.

Her father sees this hesitation, and with a stern look on his face, begins to wave her over more impatiently. After a pause, Momo obediently goes to her father's side.

"I'd like to introduce you to my daughter Momo," King Aizen says promptly to the man across from him.

The man bows and smiles, addressing her. "It's a pleasure, Princess Momo."

Momo forces a smile on her face then curtsied, as is the usual fashion. "No, the pleasure is mine." She was suspicious, but Momo kept those feelings hidden away.

_Let's get the usual pleasantries over with._

Her father continues. "This man is the king of a neighboring country, Momo. He has recently gotten engaged."

Momo's face lights up, by habit. Most young ladies would be delighted at the mention of this sort of news, so naturally, she has to be delighted as well. "That's wonderful! May I ask who the bride to be is?"

When the man remains silent, Momo adds, "She must be beautiful indeed."

The man finally smiles. "Oh, she is beautiful, that is for sure." He gives her a knowing look.

_I'm missing something here…_

Momo turns and stares at her father.

The king looks smug. "I was just getting to that. This is the man you are to marry."

_WHAT?!_

Her eyes widen.

_This cannot be happening._

Composure becomes a battle. The words come out of her in a blurred rush. "I… I'm sorry, I don't understand. I have never heard of this… There must be some mistake…"

Momo panicking eyes met her father's emotionless ones. "No mistake, my dear. You are to be wedded in exactly one month. Everything has been arranged prior to this conversation."

The pang of shock hits her.

_I am engaged to a man I have never met?_

_Everything has already been arranged?_

The swirling in her stomach refuses to settle. It is too much, all at once. The man must be at least one decade older than her. But Momo knows what her father expects of her. This is clearly a politically advantageous marriage.

Her father probably expects her to shut up, and do as she is told with style and grace. She is supposed to keep quiet. Continue to be her father's pawn. Continue to just be an object in this game of his; her only role.

But somehow, this time 'yes' isn't an option.

So, ignoring the stares of the many nobles and trying not to think about her father's wrath, the princess spins and flees from the ballroom.

**…:::…**

The bedroom door slams shut. Momo walks calmly over to the vanity, takes a seat, and stares at her reflection in the mirror. Before the ball, she had thought she was beautiful. Now, resent is all she feels for the stranger staring back at her.

Momo rips the ornaments out of her hair, letting her brown locks loose from whatever stiff design they had been forced into. The make-up that painted her face is viciously wiped off

Her normal self resurfaces.

_What am I without these? Without these, I'm just a plain, ordinary girl. I'm nothing special._

The jewel adorned hairbrush lying on the tabletop is picked up and studied. After a moment of thought she stands and walks to the opposite wall, eying the fragile vanity mirror. Deciding that the distance is safe, she lets her emotions run free.

The heavy brush flies into the mirror, and surprisingly her aim is perfect.

With a loud crash it shatters into sharp, slim fragments. They tumble into a heap on the floor.

Breathing heavily, she stares down at the mess.

_What would Izuru think, seeing me like this?_

Momo lets her legs give way, crumpling down to the hardwood floor. She knows that if he had seen this, he would be disappointed in her. That is her childhood friend; calm, fair, and righteous. He is like a brother to her. However, part of her is sure he will understand. This is a horrible revelation, after all.

After sitting there and thinking for what seems like hours, the idea came to her.

They don't need her here. They don't want her here. Who needs an accessory, a useless object? They won't miss her. King Aizen will have other daughters.

Escaping from the castle seems like a pretty good idea.

_But where would I go?_

Momo slowly stands up. Walking over to the only window in her room, she opens it. The cool night air floods over her. It is refreshing, and the princess breathes it in. It fills her lungs, calming her. Brown eyes wander over the kingdom; The Society. Even from a distance, it looks prim, proper, and perfect.

That's when she spots it. The wall. The famous wall, standing upright and looking very intimidating.

Momo knows what people say about the wall, has heard the legends and the rumors. In fact, she grew up with them. Her father has always warned her about the wall.

Momo gazes at the scene before her. The night is still young, there will be enough light to get a fair distance away from the castle. If she leaves now, she will probably have a solid hour before Aizen sends the soldiers after her.

_That's more than enough time._

Her eyes linger over the view of The Society a little longer. Then, she makes her decision.

With haste, Momo runs to her closet and yanks out a canvas sack. She stuffs what she thinks she will need into it: clothes, matches, a small torch, a blanket, a little bit of money. She pulls on some boots; they are more reasonable footwear than the heels she is wearing. Pulling the drawstrings of the bag shut, Momo slings it over her shoulder.

Momo throws the bag out the window; it hits the ground with a thump. Then, she swings her legs over the windowsill and begins to make her escape. Her window is very high off the ground. She will have to be very careful climbing down.

Momo takes her left foot and tests the vine underneath it. The vine seems sturdy enough. She puts all her weight on that leg and uses her right leg to find another one. Momo continues down the castle wall like this, and finally her feet hit the ground.

Momo picks up the sack and breaks into a sprint towards the wall. She has to take frequent breaks; her body isn't used to all the running. But Momo keeps going forward, knowing that they could discover she is missing any minute now.

She silently hopes her decision isn't foolish, and that it isn't one she will regret.

After ten minutes of running, Momo arrives at the gigantic stone wall. For a second, she doubts her choice. The wall looks terrifying. Who knows what could be on the other side?

An owl hoots in the distance, which sends a chill down her spine. She considers heading back to the castle.

_No, I have to do this. I can't turn back now._

Making sure her bag is secure on her shoulder; Momo begins to climb the wall. Slowly but surely, she ascends. Momo refuses to look down. The wall is too high, and she is absolutely positive that if she looks down the fall will be inevitable. Reaching the top of the wall, Momo starts to make her way down.

Her left leg misses the spot she is aiming for. Momo slips. Grabbing onto the top of the wall, she holds on for dear life. Momo squirms, frantically trying to find a smooth notch. She discovers one after seconds pass. Cautiously, the runaway princess climbs the rest of the way down.

Eventually, both her feet land on solid ground.

Momo swallows her fear and takes a couple of slow first steps forward, venturing into the unknown. Night has progressed; except for faint outlines, she can barely see. Twigs snap, startling her. Her fear returns. Her mind wanders over the endless possibilities of her death.

But then she comes to a realization. She has escaped and she is no longer a pawn.

Momo allows herself to smile triumphantly.

_I did it! I made it over the wall!_

Her smile doesn't last long. Momo barely has enough time to scream when someone grabs her, clasping a hand roughly over her mouth.

Momo has arrived at her destination.

But her journey is just beginning.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, how was it? Reviews, comments, concrit, suggestions, feedback... All highly welcome in that beautiful white box down below! :) I'd really appreciate it! Maybe I'll see you next time? (Although I'm not sure when that will be... yet...) Expect twists and turns to come! :3 (and maybe even an appearance from a certain white haired boy...) -Love and huggles as always, Lia


	2. Into the Unknown

**Author's Note:** Welcome back to ATRM! Here you go, a new chappie! XD I want to say a BIG thank you to all those who reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story. My inbox was filled for the first time in my life lol. YOU HAVE NO IDEA how much I appreciate it, you made my week a little brighter! :)

As always, thanks goes to superhuman Levs who somehow managed to beta this in an hour so I could release today!

Happy reading! :)

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**All The Right Moves** by Aurelia Artemee

Chapter 2: _Into the Unknown_

His back leans against the trunk of the tree, his legs rest across a sturdy branch. His arms are crossed. It has been a long day, and he is finally getting some shut-eye.

The night is a little chillier than he is used to, but he doesn't mind. He gets more sleep here than he does in his tiny, overcrowded home.

A twig snaps with a loud crack. His eyes immediately flash open. Sleep fades in milliseconds, replaced with focus._ Footsteps, _he thinks to himself. _Someone's nearby._

With ghostlike movements, he swiftly swings down from the tree and prepares to confront the intruder. _They won't know what hit them._

**…:::…**

A hand clasps roughly over Momo's mouth. Her eyes widen in shock.

She kicks profusely, struggling to break free of the death grip that holds her captive. Relentless, she bites down on the hand as hard as she can. Not even a wince. Momo goes limp, hoping that the person holding her can't support her full weight. To her dismay, all the person does is shift and lean on their other foot.

_He's strong._

The runaway princess takes in a deep breath through her nostrils, and tries one last tactic. She almost manages to let loose an ear piercing scream, when the hand tightens over her mouth. Because of the pressure, Momo's cheek digs into her teeth. Blood is drawn.

Her captor leans in and speaks right into her ear. She feels the words piercing her neck. "It's no use. No one's gonna hear you, noble girl."

The voice is icy, taunting, and surprisingly young. Maybe even her age.

_This is a mistake,_ she thinks to herself. _This is the worst idea in the world. I should've never left the castle in the first place. I'm such an idiot._

Her mind races even faster. _What if he kills me?_

Momo squirms. Somehow, she manages to wrench free. She turns and sprints as fast as she can, but the princess barely makes it ten steps away before he catches up to her once more. He grabs her shoulders and pushes her forcefully into the wall. Momo winces at the impact.

"Who are you?!" she exclaims. "Let me go!"

He smirks. "You're not exactly in a position to be asking questions now, are you?"

_Blunt, deadly, and right to the point. Like an arrow._

His turquoise eyes seem to glow in the moonlight, along with his snowy white hair. She takes note of the plain shirt, pants, and brown cloak draped over his shoulders. _Definitely nothing anyone from the Society would wear. Who is this guy?_

Momo is suddenly conscious about the extravagant ball gown she is still wearing.

He seems to notice the source of her insecurity; his eyes drift smoothly over her attire. They skim over her undone hair, her gold necklace, and the skirt of her dress. Then, they come to a rest on the ring on her right hand.

The ring that bears the royal crest; proof of her heritage.

Unconsciously, Momo holds her breath. She prays he doesn't notice.

But the boy with the snowy hair doesn't miss a beat.

The knife is out of his pocket and drawn from its sheath in mere seconds. The sharp edge presses against the delicate, pale skin near her throat. The boy is calm and deadly, indifferent to the situation. Just like an emotionless mask.

Momo swears she is going to die, right here and now.

Remembering the rumors back in the society, she nervously asks the boy a question.

"Are you a criminal?"

Her voice is almost a whisper. She realizes that she is trembling.

He almost laughs at the absurdity of her question. "A criminal? Is that what you think I am?" His face inches closer, closer…

_Too close. Way too close._

His eyes stare into hers. The feeling of helplessness seeps into her very being.

"If I am a criminal what does that make you, _prince_ss?" he hisses. "You're the daughter of the devil himself."

The conversation comes to a halt. All they can hear is the wind rustling through the trees, and the subtle sounds of the night. It's peaceful and eerie at the same time.

Momo has no idea what to make of this situation. She has no reply.

"What? Are you here to pass more righteous judgment? Here to make our lives a living hell?" he scoffs. "Aizen's gone soft. Imagine that. He must be desperate, sending a flimsy princess to do his dirty work."

_Flimsy?_

"Look," Momo says, finally attempting to defend herself, "I have no idea what you are talking about! I have no say in how my father rules his kingdom, and even if I did I'm sure I wouldn't be..."

Her voice trails off, and in that moment she realizes. She couldn't believe it...

_It can't be true!_

"...You said 'our lives,'didn't you?"

Her captor doesn't speak.

"There are _other people_ living on this side of the wall?"

**…:::…**

King Aizen's wrath is something to fear. Everyone knows this fact.

The last person to invoke his majesty's anger was executed at his convenience. Hence at the discovery of Momo's disappearance, Izuru was notified instead of the king. A wise decision indeed. The princess running away is a sure target for Aizen's rage.

The common foot soldier had burst into his study, frantically relaying the message. Being Momo's childhood friend, he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

_She would never act so rebelliously without reason to do so._

And so, Izuru left to go see for himself.

He hurriedly follows the soldier through a maze of corridors and up two staircases. Their footsteps clack on the marble floors, as quick as their racing heartbeats.

Izuru bursts through the bedroom door. He looks down at the broken glass of the mirror, and his eyes widen. The room is cold; Izuru notices that the window was left wide open.

He skips all the small talk and gets straight to the point.

"When did you realize she was missing?" he asks the maid standing by the pile of shards. She is obviously the one who discovered that Momo disappeared; her face is filled with the look of sheer panic.

"I… I heard the door slam earlier, so I knew she was in her room. The princess never came out… I walked in to bring some fresh towels, but…"

The woman looks like she fears for her life. And who can blame her?

"Don't worry, it's alright. It's not your fault." Izuru consoles her; regardless, the maid's face goes pale.

"But… what if… someone…"

Izuru's eyes fall upon the hair brush lying on the ground. It isn't right side up. It looks like it had been thrown. _So that's what shattered the mirror. She probably threw it. That means she wasn't taken against her will._

He walks over to the window and studies the outside wall. It is covered in vines. An easy climb down and an easy route out of the castle. Almost immediately, Izuru puts two and two together.

_But there's one thing missing…_

He turns to the soldier. "Did anything unusual occur at the ball this evening? I was there, but I didn't notice anything."

The soldier pauses for a moment in order to think. "Nothing I can remember… Oh, wait! His majesty invited the king of the neighboring country to the ball this evening."

"What for? Do you know?"

Silence.

"I believe his majesty was finishing up the negotiations of the marriage arrangement," the maid replies.

"_Marriage arrangement_?" Izuru says with surprise.

_So that's why she did it, _he tells himself,_ her father set up a political marriage. It makes sense; she wouldn't act so rashly for anything else._

Izuru then takes action. "Make sure this mess gets cleaned up," he says, addressing the maid. He promptly spins on his heel and walks briskly out the room. The soldier hurries after him.

He attempts to keep up with Izuru's furious pace. "My lord, what are we going to do?"

Izuru's tone is almost flat. "What do you mean? We have to find her and bring her back, of course."

The foot soldier cringes. "But King Aizen…"

"I'll handle Aizen. The important thing is that Momo comes back safe. If an enemy of the king were to capture her and find out about her noble heritage, it would end badly. For all of us."

"How?"

"They might attempt to ransom her, and we all know that the king would never pay a large sum just to get his daughter back. Momo would be killed. The Society would be in an uproar."

_And we wouldn't want that to happen, would we?_

Izuru stops walking in order to give the soldier instructions. "Give the order for a search."

"Yes, my lord." The soldier leaves to fulfill the command.

Izuru paces to the end of the hallway, and stands in front of the door of the king's study.

He takes a deep breath then lets it out slowly.

_Here we go then._

Bracing himself, he knocks.

**…:::…**

"There are other people living on this side of the wall?"

Momo had always thought that no one lived on the other side of the wall. But she isn't so sure anymore. Everything she knows is being contradicted.

The boy with the snowy white hair scowls at her.

"Does that surprise you, princess?" he says. "That there are other people like me, _criminals _like me, exiled to this place? Well, it shouldn't. It was your kind who put us here."

The knife leaves her throat, the boy backs away. He gestures over the wall, knife still in his hand.

"Go back to that Society of yours," he tells her. "Leave and go home. It's clear that someone like you doesn't belong here."

Momo stares blankly.

"Then I don't belong anywhere, do I?"

He pauses.

"What?"

"I'm here, because I thought I didn't belong over _there. _On that side of the wall, in the Society. I'm just the king's game piece, nothing more."

He looks away.

"That's why I came here. I came here to escape. So don't tell me I'm just a useless princess. I'm as human as you are."

Before continuing, she takes a breath. "I have a name. It's Momo."

_It seems like he understands what I mean._

"Are you still going to make me go back now?"

He doesn't answer. Momo takes that as a no.

"What's your name?"

He hesitates. She wonders if she has offended him. Eventually, he answers her.

"My name is Shiro."

_Shiro. What an interesting name._

"You're not a criminal, are you Shiro?"

She hears him sigh. "No, I'm not."

"Are the other people living here with you criminals?"

Shiro slowly shakes his head. "Good people live here."

"Then why are all of them living here, and not in the society?"

Shiro sighs. "It's just like I said before. They were exiled here. And I along with them."

Outraged, Momo's sense of justice awakens. "But they did nothing wrong! Who on earth made this decision?"

"Who else would princess? Who else has the authority? The king of the Society: Aizen. Your father."

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**Author's Note:** Ooooo, what's King Aizen up to? Find out next time, in ATRM! (LOL, my sorry attempt to be dramatic. XD) Drop me a review in that gorgeous white box down below? Questions, comments, feedback, concrit, anything! I'd love you all forever! :) As always, Love and Huggles from Lia.


	3. Everything and Nothing

**Author's**** Note:** Hey guys! Okay I have an excuse for the late release! I HAVE AN EXCUSE! Levs is extremely busy with school right now, and so I asked another friend of mine to beta, but then she became busy too... Nonetheless, here is Chapter 3 of ATRM! And it's a longer one too! (10 pages on my Word Document! O.O) Oh I can't wait till you guys see what happens at the end of this chapter...

Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chappie, MY GOODNESS you guys filled my inbox again! O.O And thanks to my lovely friend who betaed this for me (Sorry if there are any errors guys, she betaed as fast as she could!) A big grin goes to The OMG Cat for making me laugh, my first time being trolled LOL. (I like Brie cheese, how about you?)

Enough with that insanely long note... HAPPY READING! :)

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**All The Right Moves** by Aurelia Artemee

Chapter 3: _Everything and Nothing_

Izuru braces himself as he stares at the wood of the king's study. He was calm and composed while talking to the soldier, assuring him that he could take Aizen's wrath. But now that he is about to confront him, he's not so sure how his majesty will take the news.

After taking a deep breath, Izuru fists his fingers tightly and knocks on the door. He pauses as he hears footsteps walking across tiled floors. With a creak, the door swings open.

Izuru's eyes widen. Standing in front of him is the commander of Aizen's army; the Captain of the Guard, Gin Ichimaru.

Ichimaru grins at Izuru.

A little shocked at the fact that the Captain of the Guard was hanging around the King's study, Izuru falters. After a moment, he quickly recomposes himself in order to speak.

"I have urgent news for his majesty, King Aizen. Is he present?"

Ichimaru's grin grows a little wider. "Of course," he replies.

He flings the door open with a flourish, revealing the king sitting at his desk. He steps aside and gestures inwards. "Come inside, make yourself at home."

Izuru grimaces at the playful tone of his words.

_It's like he's taunting me._

Ignoring Aizen's studying face, Izuru takes a couple of steps forward and bows. Gin takes his place beside the king, standing nearby.

Izuru debates on how he should start. Should he ask the king about his day first? Should he start general and lead up to the news?

"Just tell me what it is, Izuru." the king says bluntly.

Izuru flinches at his suddenness. _I guess there's no sense in beating around the bush._

He sighs. "Momo disappeared."

Izuru waits for the anger, the wrath. Instead, Aizen raises his eyebrows questioningly. "Disappeared? What do you mean?"

"I think she ran away from the castle after you told her about the arranged marriage. It makes sense; she wouldn't run away for anything else."

The room becomes silent. It seems as if the king is weighing his options.

_Something isn't right,_ Izuru thinks. _The king is being way too calm about this situation._

Finally, the king replies. "Don't worry about it Izuru. She'll come back eventually. She's probably just upset."

Izuru stands there, frozen and dumbstruck. _This is what he chooses to say in reply?! This is all wrong. Aizen never acts like this._

"Is that all?" the king inquires.

"…Yes. That is all."

"Then you may take your leave. I'll have Gin show you the way out."

As if on cue, Gin leaves his place beside Aizen and paces toward the door of the study. He opens it and turns to Izuru.

"I hope you have a lovely day," Gin says to him.

Knowing there is no other option but to leave, Izuru walks out of the study. He isn't satisfied at all; all he feels is suspicion.

Gin closes the door and slowly grins at the king. "Well now, your majesty. It seems that your daughter is feeling a little rebellious."

Aizen stands from his chair, and smiles cunningly back at the commander. "Send a troop over to the wall, Ichimaru."

Ichimaru wipes his face clean of emotions. The king means business. "To the wall? Whatever for?"

"There is only one place Momo could have gone, and she's been away for hours now. She has probably seen everything."

Ichimaru smirks. "Protecting your little secret, are we?"

Aizen gives no reply.

The Captain of the Guard opens the door and saunters out of the room, closing it behind him.

…**:::…**

Shiro leads her through the dark forest. Momo finds herself constantly bumping into tree branches, getting scratched by twigs, and tripping over knots of wood. So much so, that she has to walk with her arms out in front of her. Like some deranged zombie.

Annoyed, she almost asks Shiro if they are getting close. Momo stops herself before the childish, bratty words leave her mouth. He already has such a bad opinion of her because of her noble heritage. She doesn't want to give him an excuse to hate her even more.

They are silent as they weave through the terrain.

Momo tries to process the thoughts trapped in her racing mind, but she can't focus on only one thing. She finds herself thinking about everything and nothing at the same time.

She feels so helpless.

"We're here." Shiro finally says. He gestures forward. "It's through there."

Stepping forward, Momo pries tree branches apart and steps through the opening. She stands and stares.

Shiro was right after all. There is an entire village of people living on the other side of the wall, although Momo wouldn't _quite _call it a village.

She couldn't quite see everything; it is too late at night for that. But from what she can see, it's more like a large cluster of houses surrounding a dirt clearing. There are about 20-30 houses in all, and barely any shops. The houses are only one story tall, small and severely patched up. They look like they only contain one room each.

"There are about 130 of us living here," Shiro comments.

"Wow… 130?" Momo stares out towards the roofs of the houses. She tries to imagine what it would be like to have 5-7 people living in a one room home.

"Are the…"

"It's getting late," Shiro says, cutting off her question. "You should get some sleep; it's been a long day."

"Right, but…" Momo begins, looking around.

"You can stay at my house, its fine." Shiro replies. "It's over here."

The boy begins walking forward, Momo follows close behind. After they pass around 7 houses, Shiro turns the corner and walks up to door. He opens it, and steps inside. Momo walks in after him.

Shiro maneuvers past four other beds before coming to stop at the farthest one, by the window. "Here, this one's yours."

Momo studies the four other beds, already filled with exhausted people. She does a quick calculation and realizes something. "No Shiro, I can't have that one. That one is yours…"

"It's fine Momo. I like sleeping outside anyway. I was already asleep when you woke me up by climbing over the wall."

Momo hesitates. "Are you sure?"

"I already said its fine." Shiro begins tiptoeing out of the house, so as not to disturb the other sleeping people. "Don't worry about the others, they won't mind either. I'll answer the rest of your questions tomorrow."

He is about to close the door when Momo quietly calls out, "Good night, Shiro."

He pauses. He hasn't heard that phrase in a really long time.

Then he whispers back. "Night, Momo."

The door shuts tightly.

…**:::…**

Momo awakes the next morning to see a pair of pale blue eyes up close and personal, staring intently at her.

"AH!" she yells in surprise, practically scaring the entire village. Momo bolts out of bed, breathing heavily. The blond-haired female jumps back with a start.

"Jeez, you almost made my boobs pop out of my shirt! Pipe down, won't you?" the unknown girl retorts, putting a hand over her chest.

"I was just curious y'know," she continues, babbling like mad. "I wasn't going to kill you or anything! I'm not a serial killer! I don't even _own_ a knife… Okay wait, maybe I do… But I haven't murdered anyone, I swear!"

Momo stands there, dumbstruck.

"Who… Who are you?"

"Oh my goodness Ran, you've done it again!" she says to herself, face palming. "How rude of me! I'm Rangiku Matsumoto, at your service!"

"Uh… Momo Hinamori, nice to meet you too…" Momo says back, flustered. What a wonderful start to the morning.

"Oh I already know who _you_ are, princess dear. Shiro told me this morning!"

"…This _morning?_" Momo says in disbelief. She looks out the window, then back at Rangiku. "What time is it?"

"You slept through the entire morning, poor thing. It's already 3 o'clock in the afternoon! You must have been exhausted, sleepy head."

She tosses Momo a small loaf of bread. "Here, eat up. Shiro says I'm supposed to give you a tour of the place and answer whatever questions you have. And I'm sure you have a lot, I have some for you too." Rangiku leaves the room in order to give Momo some privacy.

Momo stares down at the plain loaf of bread in her hands. It's definitely not the kind of lunch she usually gets back at the palace, but its food nonetheless.

Her stomach grumbles; she realizes she is starving. She stops herself from eating the loaf in one gigantic bite. Instead, she eats it little by little knowing that she'll have to get used to this kind of food.

_It looks like they don't have much food on this side of the wall._

After finishing her food, Momo fixes her hair and straightens her clothes the best she can. Then she turns and folds the blanket that she used the night before. Satisfied she walks out of the room and closes the door behind her, in order to meet up with Rangiku.

…**:::…**

"This area here is where most of us live, although you've probably already seen it when Shiro took you here." Rangiku says, pointing at all the different houses. The two girls are on their tour.

"Yes, he showed me them briefly, but it was night then. I couldn't see them very well," Momo comments. Seeing them now, in broad daylight, Momo realizes exactly how horrible their living conditions are. She wonders how the roofs of the houses hold up against wind and rain.

Not only that, everything on this side of the wall seems like it's covered in dust. Most of the buildings, and the people, are covered in a pale shade of grey.

"They're not as nice as the ones in the Society, that's for sure. But they're what we call home!" Rangiku says cheerfully. "Oh, and here are the fields. We cleared trees in this area, so we could grow some of our own food."

Momo nods politely. She looks out into the distance, seeing the field workers hard at work. Rangiku perks up as if she recognizes someone, then waves wildly at them.

"HEY! Shuhei, Renji, Ichigo!" she calls out. They straighten from their work, and wave back at her. "This is Momo! You know, the girl Shiro told us about this morning!"

Renji grins at Momo. "Hey, nice to meet you!"

Momo smiles back. "You know them?" she says to Rangiku.

"Oh yes, they're the other three who live with us," Rangiku replies. "They're really nice people once you get to know them."

She turns on her heel and pulls on Momo's arm. "Let's start heading back."

On their walk home, Rangiku asks Momo the question she's been dying to ask. "Momo, how did you end up meeting Shiro?"

Momo lets out a deep breath. After a moment she tells Rangiku about the ball, the arranged marriage, and how she escaped the castle."

"Then, I climbed over the wall and met Shiro," she says. "I don't think he likes me very much though. He threatened me with a knife when he found out I was the king's daughter."

"What? He did?"

"It's okay, I don't blame him." Momo says. "Especially after all my father has put you guys through. And to think, I thought you were all criminals when I first came here. But really, everyone is kind."

Rangiku giggles. "Criminals? You thought we were criminals? That's funny."

"Why are you here, Ran? How did you get here?"

Rangiku sighs, and looks out into the distance. She seems to be recalling something.

"It started when I was a little girl, maybe 5 or 6." Rangiku begins. "I was at home with my parents. We were just relaxing, having a good time. But then the soldiers barged in."

Rangiku stops walking.

"They kicked down the door of our house. They had their swords unsheathed… It was too frightening for me at the time. I watched them drag my parents away that day. I begged and begged. 'What did mommy and daddy do? They did nothing wrong!' I remember screaming to them. But all the soldiers told me was that it was confidential."

"That's horrible. I'm sorry." Momo says.

"Then they dragged me away too. The next time I saw them was here on this side of the wall. All of us had been banished from the Society. To this day, I have no clue why."

"Where are your parents now, Ran?" Momo asks her.

"They passed away like most of our parents have," a new voice says. Momo turns; it's Shiro. He must have caught up with them on his way home. "The living conditions get too hard for some of us. To be an elder here is a great honor."

"Did this happen to you too?" she asks the white haired boy. Although studying him now in the daylight, his hair looks like it was tainted gray with dust.

"More or less, but I was 3 or 4 at the time." Shiro says.

"Have any of you ever asked any of the elders remaining exactly what happened?"

"Believe me, we've tried. But every time we ask, they either don't remember or they scream. Like they're being tortured." Rangiku explains.

"And you're sure that they did nothing wrong?"

"Positive," they both reply. "They're good people."

By the time they arrive at the house, it is dinner time. Momo helps Rangiku prepare a simple meal while Shiro goes out to get some peace and quiet.

"Ran, I have a question." Momo says, while peeling potatoes.

"Ask away."

"How do you get back to the wall? It was dark when Shiro was leading me, so I have no idea how far it is from the village."

"Oh, if you head north from here you'll get to it eventually. Why?"

"Nothing in particular. I was just curious."

Rangiku laughs. "Alright Momo. You are one interesting person."

Fifteen minutes of silence later, the dinner is cooked. Rangiku begins scooping the stew into bowls. Suddenly, Momo stands up and walks towards the door.

"Where are you going? The dinner is ready!" Rangiku calls to her.

"Oh, I'll be back soon. I just want to go for a little walk, clear my head."

"Okay, but don't be too long! The stew is gonna get cold!"

Momo paces out the door and into the night. As soon as she thinks she's out of sight, she sprints north towards the wall.

_I'm sorry Ran. But I had to leave before Shiro gets back; I know he will try to stop me, _she thinks to herself.

_What they are doing to you, to Shiro, to all of the villagers… None of it is fair. It's about time someone made a stand. So I'm going back to say something to the king. Everyone in the Society should know what they have done to you._

…**:::…**

When Shiro arrives back at the house, he sees Rangiku, Renji, Ichigo, and Shuhei sitting on the floor eating dinner.

"Where's Momo?" Shiro says, sitting down next to them and grabbing a bowl of stew.

"I was hoping she met up with you, she's been gone a long time…" Rangiku's voice trails off into the distance. Suddenly, her face pales. "Oh no… What was I thinking?!"

Shiro's eyes widen. "What's wrong?"

"She told me she was going to go for a walk, clear her head. But I think she went back to the wall…"

"What?! Why do you think that?!" Shiro exclaims.

"She asked me how to get back to the wall, and I told her. But I didn't think she would actually try and go back! This is bad, Shiro. If she goes back to the Society now, she might…"

The words settle into him, and Shiro realizes exactly what she means. In seconds, he is bolting out the door.

_That IDIOT. She can't go back now! Aizen has probably already realized she is missing, and if he hears that she's seen everything over the wall…_

He growls in frustration.

_I might be able to catch up to her. I might be able to stop her before she does something she will regret._

He sprints as fast as he can, weaving madly through the trees, making for the wall where he first saw her. Eventually, the wall comes into sight. He sees Momo hurriedly climbing over it.

"Momo!" he yells as loud as he possibly can. "Stop!"

At the sound of his voice, Momo climbs even faster. In seconds, she launches herself over the wall.

_IDIOT._

But then he hears the clanking of armor, the sound of galloping horses.

_No… Soldiers._

He can't climb over the wall, not now. He calms himself, waits for an idea. Then, Shiro spots a tall tree. He flies up the branches, and settles himself on the highest possible perch.

Then he gazes down below. And there, he sees her.

Surrounded by them.

…**:::…**

Momo stands with her back against the wall. It seems her father has sent an entire troop to find her. They surround her from every angle, and they stare grimly at her.

_What's going on? He didn't need to send this many._

She watches as the mass of human beings part in front of her, making a path. And on that path, Gin Ichimaru strides toward her.

_He sent the Captain of the Guard?_

Gin Ichimaru pulls out a letter from the inside of his armor. He unfolds it with a flourish, and begins to read it in a loud voice.

"Princess Momo Hinamori; you are being arrested for treason against his majesty, King Aizen. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can, and will be used against you in The Royal Court. You will be escorted to the palace dungeon where you will remain until your trial. The trial date will be announced shortly."

Momo's face goes pale with fright. Even though she knows that she hasn't committed treason of any sort, she begins to panic.

Because she knows that treason against the king is the most heinous crime you can commit in Royal Law.

And the punishment for someone convicted guilty of treason; is death.

* * *

**Author's**** Note:** And Aizen strikes again! Dun dun DUHHHH! We're picking up the pace now! :D What's gonna happen next? Any predictions? Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Leave them for me in that wonderful white box below? You know the drill lol. XD I hope you enjoyed that chapter, see you next time! -Love and Huggles from Lia


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